FORMER Mufumbwe PF member of parliament Stephen Masumba has pleaded with President Edgar Lungu to tolerate divergent media coverage and reopen Prime Television.
In an interview when he visited The Mast offices, Masumba, also a former sports deputy minister, lamented the cancelation of Prime TV’s broadcasting licence by the Independent Broadcasting Authority on April 9, 2020.
“If I was one of these people serving in government with President Lungu, the honourable thing they would have done is advise the President graciously. I know that the President has the discretion to advise the Minister. And by the way, ministers act on delegated authority, so it’s the President’s powers which they act on,” he said. “My appeal is that bakateka bomfwileniko uluse ba (Mr President, have mercy on) Prime TV. You know how politics are, they change hands anytime. And at times you may not know at what point it may change hands, but if you are neutral you will find things working for you because the same people that could have been speaking ill of you tomorrow they can speak good of you. So, to me that’s how things must be handled.”
Masumba said he had for a long time been a firm believer in and defender of media freedom.
He said he did not want a media institution that would always praise him.
“You may wish to know that even Prime Television, I have been a religious believer of Prime TV. And this I must put on record that even their style of coverage and the way they could cover people and organisations. When you look at these media houses, say for example our very own ZNBC, you will find that they are reading a script which is very contrary to the things they are trying to talk about,” Masumba said. “You would find that the style of reporting from Prime TV, you would see that they were on point and able to give you a full platform where you are able to speak your mind; something people are able to hear and connect about what you are trying to say. My call to the leadership at hand, more especially the Cabinet in place, is to call upon them to be tolerant with regard to issues related to the media and media houses; that includes The Mast newspaper, Prime TV because when you look at these media houses, to me you cannot say they are the fourth estate when on the other you are busy not giving them the liberty they are supposed to enjoy.’’
Masumba said Prime Television is greatly missed by many adding that not everyone had a problem with the station.
He described Prime TV as the people’s station which could cover everyone regardless of which political party they belonged to.
“It shouldn’t mean that because you have failed to manage these media houses, you have failed to interact with the comrades in the media you must begin to pour a hip of faults at them. As a party in government what is paramount is to make sure that such media houses are brought back to life,” said Masumba. “They must be given the role they deserve. So, my call to President Lungu is to be as tolerant as we have known him to be. We have known him to be a humble leader, a tolerant person. So, he must extend his tolerance even to media houses and platforms because that way it will be easier.”